Page 110 of The Flirty Forward

There’s nothing for a few minutes, and then my phone rings. “Hey, you didn’t have to call,” I tell him.

“I wanted to. You okay?”

“Yeah, I just can’t sleep,” I admit.

“You know what would help you sleep?”

“No, but I have a feeling you’re about to tell me,” I respond.

“A massage. Wouldn’t that be nice? A slow, relaxing massage for your whole body.” His voice has dropped lower. “I’d start at your ankles and then up to your calves. And then I’d-”

“If you’re trying to help me relax, that’s not working,” I interrupt.

He laughs. He asks me about school instead, and we talk for almost an hour about everything and nothing. But his warm voice calms my frayed nerves from tonight, and I fall asleep as soon as we say goodbye.

The next morning comes fast. I debate on what to wear to his family’s house before finally deciding on black slacks and black belt with a gold buckle and pair it with a dark gray sweater. I add a gold necklace and earrings and then pull my hair in a loose braid. I apply some light makeup and am ready to go before Sebastian gets there, which leaves me time to write. I’m lost in my own world, behind my laptop, when he knocks on the door. I startle and nearly knock over my coffee. I open the door for a smiling Sebastian a moment later. His eyes light up. “Hey, Gorgeous.” He pulls me in for a kiss. I think he probably meant to just kiss me quickly and move on, but the moment our lips touch, an awareness that is all Sebastian flutters through me. He steps closer, deepening the kiss. I sigh softly, and he tightens his hold on my back. Then he’s all but plundering my mouth. I give as good as I get, and things go fromPGtonot-so-PGpretty fast. I lose myself completely in him, and it’s only when we’re both ready to pass out from a lack of oxygen that he finally pulls back. He rests his forehead against mine. “Good morning,” he says in a low voice.

“Good morning.” My voice is much more breathless than his.

He glances inside my house. “Are you sure we have to go to my family’s today? Shouldn’t we just stay here? I can keep you company while you work.”

I shake my head. “I wouldn’t get any work done, not with you staring at me all day.”

“I wouldn’t just stare at you...okay. You’re right. I totally would.”

“Come on. Let’s get going,” I say as I take his hand. “I don’t want to be late.”

“It’s my family; they don’t care.”

“Icare.” I start toward his car, and he follows behind and opens my door. “Can we stop at the bakery on the way, so we can take something?”

“Sure,” he says easily. We get to his parents’ house faster than I’m prepared for. “Ready?” he asks with a grin.

I take a deep breath. “Yes.”

“Hey.” He takes my hand. “There’s nothing to worry about. It’s just my family, and they love you.” I nod because I know he speaks the truth; they’ve been so good to me. We walk up the steps, and he opens the door. “We’re here.” The sound of beautiful chaos fills my ears.

“Stephanie,” Sebastian’s mom calls out and walks over and hugs me tightly. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Miss Winston,” Kayla calls out and runs over for a hug.

“Hey Stephanie,” Tina calls out from the kitchen.

“I’m here too,” Sebastian calls out. “My family loves you more than they love me,” he mutters against my ear.

I laugh and turn towards him. “You poor baby.”

“I know of something that will make it all better,” he says, his eyes dancing.

“What?” I ask, even though I have a clue where he’s going with this.

“A kiss,” he says, leaning forward. His lips touch mine, and the same thing happens that always happens when he kisses me. I lose all sense of time and reality. His hand runs up and down my spine, and I shiver from the intensity. Somebody whistles, and reality comes crashing back down. I jerk back, feeling my face flaming. Sebastian grins at me wickedly before kissing me once more on the lips. When we turn around, his family is grinning at us.

“Can we just go home now?” I mutter under my breath.

He puts his hand on my back and propels me forward. “Nope. I'm starving.”

“You’re always starving,” Keith says as he walks past.

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